Apparatus for folding sheet material



Dec. 8, 1964 J. EvERsoN APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHEET MATERIAL 4 SheetQs-Sheet l Filed June 26, 1962 INVENTOR. JOHN E VE R30/V /1'/ ATTORNEYS J. EVERSON APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHEET MATERIAL A 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 8, 1964 Filed June 26, 1962 JOHN EVERSO/v BY /741 @uw 96 75M HIS' ATTORNEYS INVENToR. V

Dec. 8, 1964 J. EvERsoN 3,160,410

APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHEET MATERIAL y Filed June 26, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Hf MMM H/` ATTORNEYS I0/'IN EVERSO/V Dec. 8, 1964 J. EvERsoN 3,160,410

APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHEET MATERIAL Filed June 26, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Iig. 6. A /33 H/` ATTORNEYS' 3 160 410 APPARATUS rou sdraiato srmnr Marsman .lohn Everson, l9`2tl Berkeley Way, Berkeley, Calm, as-

signer of one-third to George bfi. Gldenbourg, Oakland,

Calif.

Filed .lune 26, w62, Ser. No. 2%,255 l Claim. (Cl. 27d-S3) My invention relates to flat-bed machines for the folding of paper or the like, and particularly refers to one adapted to handle circulars and newspapers from a four page tabloid to newspapers involving twenty-eight pages or so, and perform a final folding operation thereon.

Heretofore, in this art, it has been necessary to accumulate and to handle manually, bundles of such tabloids and newspapers, after they have been once folded and labelled with address stickers, and before their final folding into a size convenient for final delivery. This invention provides means Vfor receiving rapidly a succession of such publications from a synchronized feeding means, folding them transversely and discharging them for delivery or mailing, Whichever may be desired. Depending on the position of the printing address labels and the like, the ldirection of the folding operation, inwardly or outwardly with respect to the label, or with respect to prior or successive operations on the publication, may be predetermined.

Among the objects of the invention are:

(l) To provide a novel and improved high-speed folding machine that is adapted to be synchronized with a feeding device, for advancing a succession of unfolded or partially folded tabloids or newspapers,`rnaking a transverse fold in a median location of each such publication, and conveying them thus folded, in a predetermined direction to a suitable receiving means such as a counter surface, conveyor, or the like;

(2) To provide a simple and economical construction for a machine of this type, that utilizes readily available components and is easily and conveniently maintained;

(3) To provide a basic assembly for a folding machine that is adapted for modication, to afford either inward or outward folding of the upper surface of a succession of tabloids, newspapers or like publications, with a minimum of alterations and changes.

These and other objects and advantages will be further apparent from the following specification and the attached drawings, which describe and illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention.

ln the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan View of the bed of a folding machine adapted to fold a succession of tabloids, newspapers or the like, transversely and inwardly, i.e. with the halves of their original upper surface in juxtaposition;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken online 2-2 of FIGURE l, showing added details of construction;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged detail View of the same portion of FIGURE 6, showing the blade being retracted and the folded publication being deflected to discharge conveying means. l

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1, I

2 and 5, yreference numeral 1 `designates generally a rectangular metal frame having a dat top or bed 3 on which are mounted pairs of journal bearings v5 and 7 for two parallel shafts 9 and 1l, respectively. Shaft 9, which may be designated the timing or synchronizing shaft, is provided with a notched pulley 13 and a complementary notched so-called timing belt 14, which may be that of US. Patent No. 2,507,852, and which is connected to a notched pulley 15 on a central transverse shaft lo which in turn may be driven from the driving mechanism of sheet feeding means, such as depicted in FIG. 5, for reasons which will be described more fully hereafter.

. Shaft il, at the opposite end of frame l, is provided with pulley 17 of slightly smaller diameter than pulley 13 and driven by an ordinary belt i8 coupled to a pulley i9 of slightly larger diameter than pulley 15 (FIG. 4) and mounted on the shaft of a motor 2t), to impart to shaft 1l a slightly higher rate of rotation than shaft 9.

The last named shaft 9 is also provided with ay pair of notched pulleys 2l, which are fixed to the shaft as shown, and over which pass, complementary notched flexible timing belts 23. A plurality of spacing lugs or abutments 25 are screwed, riveted, or otherwise affixed to each belt 23, at longitudinally spaced points which are aligned transversely with one another, so that they will receive the leading edges of successive sheets of paper from the feeding means 26 (FG. 4). In this regard, the term sheet will be used to designate a sheet, which may or may not have been folded in a previous operation. The opposite ends of timing belts 23, where they pass around shaft ll, are supported by loose pulleys 27 which are free to rotate independently of that shaft. Y

Shaft 1l is also provided with two drive pulley/S729 secured to rotate therewith and supporting one end of belts 3l, having the same thickness as belts 23, and which may be of the same type, but which travel at a slightly higher speed than belts Z3, as explained above. The opposite ends of belts 3l, which may be termed sheet-.advancing belts, are supported by loose pulleys 33 which are free to rotate on shaft 9.

Overlying the upper surfaces of each sheet-advancing belt 3l is an elongated flat metalstrip 37 on which are journalled a plurality of small metal rollers` 39 projecting downwardly through slots in the strip so as to engage the proximate belt 31 or an intervening sheet of paper 4l to be folded as the case may be. By this means, the

v rictional grip of Kthe more rapidly moving belts 3l, on

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3 of FIGURE 2, showing a detail of the blade actuating means;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view partially in section, of an alternative arrangement of the invention adapted to fold a succession of tabloids, newspapers or the like, transversely and with their lower surfaces in juxtaposition;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5 5 of FIGURE 4; Y

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6--6 of FIGURE 4, at right angles to that of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged `detail view of a portion of FIGURE 6 showing the blade in its actuated or uppermost position to deflect such tabloid, newspaper or the like, between creasing rollers;

such paper will cause such paper to travel linearly ata rate exceeding that of the timing belts 23, so that asheet that is out of phase or lagging with respect to stops or lugs 25 will be advanced quickly into abutting engagement with such stops and thus will be positioned for parallel folding and substantially synchronized with the sheet folding means to be described below and to which the paper is carried by the belts 23. Strips 37 are loosely secured in overlying relationship to belts 3l, by vertical pins 43 projecting upwardly through holes in brackets 45 straddling the individual strips 37 and anchor to plates 47 carried on cross members 48. i

Between these support plates 47 and slightly below the plane thereof, are two pairs of journal bearings 49, mounti ed on cantilever strips 5l, and carrying opposed rubber covered rollers 53 and 55,'the plane or line of tangency.

or Contact of these rollers being parallel to belts 23 and 3l, and desirably at the median line of a tabloid or newspaper type publication Se in position to be folded,

3 as shown. Roller 53 is provided with pulley 57, which is driven through a suitable speed reducing belt system 65 from a motor 67.

Above the publication 56 and plates 47, -and Yin `the plane of tangency of rollers V53 and 55 r(FIG. 2), is an elongated horizontal, vertically reciprooable blade 69, supported and guided between side plates 71, which are mounted in turnon anble brackets 73 carried by uprights 74 aixed tothe frame 1.. A .pair of tension springs 75 supported by .yokes 77 straddling the blade from above,V

carry the blade and normally urge it upwardly to above the plane of the sheet56.

A quick-acting cam 79 journalled in bear-ings .81 and driven in exact synchronism with timing shaft 9 by a notched timing belt 83 and correspondingly notched pulley 85, is timed .to actuate blade 169 downwardly when the leading edge of such publication 56, as controlled by lugs on timing belts 23, engages .a pair of fixed stops 37 on the plates 47, which assure accurate alignment of the publication with the rollers in preparation lfor blade actuation.

Beneath ybed 3 and mounted on the frame `1, are two or more pairs of aligned conveyor pulleys 89, connected by belts 91, and with their axes parallel to the axes of rollers 53 and 55, with a drive .from speed reducer 65 through a belt 93.

Between belts 91 and rollers 53 and l55,' are fixed arcuate metal rods 95 and 97 which approach the belts '91 tangentially -to receive folded sheets as they emerge downwardly from below rollers 53 and '55, and deflect them onto the belts 91, which discharge them tra-nsversely onto any suitable receiving table or conveyor 99.

Desirably, athird set of rods 101 suspended'from a plate 47, also approaches the belts 91 tangentially thereto, to

hold the rapidly moving folded sheets against the belts until they leave the machine and are discharged to the receiving table or conveyor 99.

The embodiment of this invention ljust described, is usable when the tabloids or newspapers are to be folded with the halves of their uppersurface in .juxtaposition or contact. When the reverse is true, viz, when the original top ysurface is to form the outside of the folded publication, the alternative embodiment shown in FIGURES 4 through 8, 'and which utilizes many `of the same novel relationships, is utilized.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 5, the basic construction and relationship between the frame 1, .timing f shaft 9 and its belts ..23 and paper advancing shaft 11 and its associated belts 31, and the driving means therefor, are identical to. those already described, so a second detailed recitation is unnecessary.

The major difference rlies in the relative positions of the paper delleoting blade 100 and .the creasing roller assembly 101 which are, respectively, below and above the sheet 56 to be folded. An adidtional feature lies in the use of an offset idler roller for dellecting the folded sheets in the desired direction, .and the utilization of one of the creasing rollers to drive .the folded sheet discharging conveyor, as will be apparent from the following description.

In this embodiment, the guide walls 102 for a blade 100 are positioned below the plates 47 (FIGS. 5 and 6), and a synchronized cam 103 moves the blade upwardly against .restraining springs 104 to ylift the paper tabloid etc. 56 from the parallel belts 23 on which it rests, and into engagement with 'the creasing roller assembly 101. A pair of yokes 111 (FIG. 4) extend upwardly from bed 3 and across the bed above the publication and its associated belts 23 and 31 (FIGS. 4 and 5). A rubber covered creasing roller 113 is journalled in fixed bearings 115 on yokes 111, with its axis parallel to the belts 23 and 31 and is rotated by a suitable belt 116 passing around pulley 117.

Adjacent to fixed bearings 115 and on top of yokes 111, are upper and lower horizontal guides 119 for movable bearings 121 (FIGURES 4 and 5) supporting a somewhat smaller diameter roller 123 driven through pulley 125. This roller may be bare metal as shown or may be rubber covered. An adjustable spring 127 (FIG- URES V4 and 6) urges each movable bearing 121 and creasing roller 123 resiliently toward the larger rol-ler 113. By making roller 123 transversely movable, the passage -of very thick folds of paper .56 between the creasing rollers is facilitated.

To deect the folded paper sheets in the predetermined direction, a pair of idler 'rollers 129 are journalled on a shaft 131 supported at each end by -side bars 133 which are pivotally mounted at their opposite ends upon ybrackets135 at corresponding ends of yokes-111. Desirably, rubber tires 137, which may be formed by O-rings, encircle rollers 129, to provide adequate frictional contact with the surface of roller 113 to be frictionally driven by said latter roller or by the folded paper passing between said rollers. The hinged'bars 133 permit the rollers 129 to accommodate themselves to varying thickness 'of the folded sheets passingout of the machine.

The axis of shaft 131 for the deflecting rollers 129 is preferably displaced slightly to the left of the vertical plane of the line of tangency of rollers 113 and 123 as viewed in FIGURES 6, Y7 vand l8, so that the oncoming folded tabloid etc. 56 is positively deflected in the desired directionY (right), and ris thereafter guided to engage a plurality of guide rods 139 supported from cross-members 141 between side bars 133.

Roller 113 iscircumferentially grooved intermediate its ends to receive flexible fbelts 143 (FIG. 4), desirably of the coiled spring type, which extend transversely and substantially vparallel to guide rods 139 to Apass around pulleys 145 journalled for rotation on a shaft 147 between brackets 135. These serve to convey the folded sheets out of the machine and onto the receiving conveyor or table 99 at one side of frame 1.

The feed mechanism lfor the machines described may lead from any sort of operation, e.g. printing, folding or labelling. It is desirably provided with positive .se quencing means to feed consecutive tabloids etc. at predetermined intervals. An illustrative example is best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, where feed pulleys 150 are mounted on a .shaft 151 and control'the advance of timing belts 153 having lugs 155 .to feed such publications successively onto belts 23 and Y31. On the same shaft 151, which is driven from any suitable power source (not shown), is a `pulley -157 (FIG. 4), connected by belt 159 to an .identical pulley 161 on the central shaft 16.v Alternatively, the power .source could be connected to shaft 16, and the feed shaft 151 driven therefrom.

Desirably the distance A between -the'feed lugs 155 and the next adjacent abutment lugs'25 on belts 23 is adjusted to be somewhat greater than the length of the tabloid i. etc. 56 to be folded. Thus, the 'publications are fed in synchronism but `slightly out of phase (lagging) so that the more rapidly moving advancing belts 31 can advance the material to abut lugs 25 on belts 23, before they reach the position where the cam 79 or 103 is actuated to engage the blade 69 .or vi100 respectively, and deflect the paper to the creasing rollers 113 and 123, or 53 and 55, depending on the embodiment in question.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it will be apparent that the same fullls all the objects attributed thereto, and while I have illustrated and described the invention in considerable detail, I do not desire to be limited in my protection to the details so means for rotating said rolls with their proximate sur-` faces moving in a direction away from said blade,

means for positioning between said blade and said rollers, successive tabloids or the like to be folded, said means including a pair of parallel endless tabloid carrying belts spacedl Within the Width of such tabloid or the like with their tabloid carrying portions continuously movable in a plane between said rolls and said folding knife, and adapted to carry the same to said folding position,

each of said endless belts having longitudinally spaced stop lugs, with the lugs of the one belt oppositely located with respect to the lugs of the other belt,

means for timing the reciprocal movements of said a drive connection to said belts such as to impart a Y` linear velocity of movement to said belts necessary to effect such timing, and

meansfor assuring engagement of a tabloid or the like on said belts with the lugs ahead during travel with said belts, said means including a pair' of auxiliary endless belts paralleling said lug belts Within the width of such tabloid or the like and adapted to cooperate in carrying the same,

and means for imparting to said auxiliary belts, a linear rate of travel exceeding that of said lug belts.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 513,435 McDonald u Jan. 23, 1894 972,469 Pejauo Oct. 11, 1910 2,955,822 Wicklund Oct. 11, 1960 

